98 ON RAISING SEEDLING RANUNCULUSES. 



Selfs. — Any crimson, scarlet, white, or yellow, that shows the 

 eye or pericarp. 



2nd. The kind of flowers proper for impregnation are semi- 

 douhles of good properties as to colour and shape of their petals. 

 The more douhle the flowers are from which the farina is taken, 

 the greater is the probability of obtaining fine double varieties. 

 The perfection of the art of raising seedlings consists in having 

 some of the best show-flowers of each class, which pi'oduce a peri- 

 carp or seed-vessel — namely, dark, white, scarlet, crimson, yellow, 

 striped, edged, spotted, mottled, olive, &c. &c, and a number of 

 the best semi-doubles of each corresponding class, producing 

 anthers as well as pericarps. If a new flower of any particular 

 class is desired — for example, yellow-edged, — fertilise Julius or 

 Grand Monarque with the pollen of a yellow-edged semi-double, 

 or nearly double flower, of first-rate properties. A similar method 

 must be pursued in order to obtain a superior flower of any other 

 class. 



3rd. The time and manner of performing the work of impreg- 

 nation. — Commence the operation when the flowers arc in perfec- 

 tion. The time of day — from ten o'clock in the morning until 

 two or three in the afternoon, in fine sunny weather. The most 

 approved method is to gather the semi-doubles, and bring them in 

 contact, by lightly pouncing the pericarp of the flower from which 

 you intend to save seed. If semi-doubles are scarce, it may be 

 performed with a large camel's hair pencil. Repeat the operation 

 once or twice a day, until the petals decay or fall off. 



4th. The future management of the impregnated seed-vessels. — 

 Tie them to small sticks, with two or three bandages of matting, 

 to prevent the stalk from breaking : they seldom want any other 

 care. When they turn brown, gather them and dry them in the 

 shade. 



5th. The compost I prefer is rich garden earth, mixed with 

 one-fourth of loam, but no dung. I generally sow in boxes 18 

 inches by 11, and 5 deep. A birtter-tub cut in two, and iron 

 bound, does as well. I have sown in Carnation pots, but prefer 

 boxes, which I fill with the above compost, press the surface level, 

 then sow the seeds about an eighth of an inch apart, and water it 

 to make it lie flat. I then sprinkle it with dry mould, just suffi- 

 cient to cover the seeds, and water it with a fine rose or syringe, 



